Sweet Serendipity
by Raining-skye23
Summary: Chiaki is a feisty young kunoichi who aspires to join Anbu. But her world is made complicated when her clan got into an agreement with the Uchihas. How would her life be affected as her fate becomes entwined with Uchiha Itachi? NON-MASSACRE. ItachiXOC
1. First impressions

**Okay, this is my first Itachi ff, and the idea just sort of popped out of my head, and I had to pen it down. Anyway, I am trying to make this story a light hearted one with some humor in it because all the Itachi in Akatsuki things is so hard to write! Maybe I'll write one of those when my writing is matured. (: **

**Anyhow, please help me by telling me your honest opinions, but no flames please. Thanks. O.o**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Naruto. **

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Because the rain will wash away everything, if you let it.

- Sarah Kay

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Chiaki stared at the scene in front of her, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She was changing into her seductive kunoichi clothings when Kakashi sempai decided to pay her a visit. Being a female caught in such situations, she thought she was fairing pretty well by not screaming rape right then. Sempai though, he looked like he saw a bunch of naked girls in the hot spring. His eyes were practically bulging out and his face was beet red. She could see his Adam's apple vibrating as he swallowed. Finally realizing that he was staring, he turned around abruptly and gave her some privacy.

"Umm..well…you see...I..."

Unable to keep a straight face any longer, she laughed. "Seriously? You are actually embarrassed?"

"Wha...what? You are not angry?" He asked confusedly. "Not screaming pervert, hitting me in the face, no? Nothing?"

She held up the ends of an obscenely small, black lace underwear, cautiously examining it. "Nah. I have more important matters to worry about right now. Besides, it's not like I'm naked."

"But with what you're wearing now, it leaves nothing to the imagination." Kakashi pointed out.

Chiaki looked down at her attire. She was wearing a strapless black sequin dress which was sticking perfectly to her curves. Her usually unruly hair was pulled up with a kanzashi. Quickly, she struggled on the piece of underwear before striking a pose in front of her mirror, trying out her new look.

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to have lunch with you."

"Hmm…Maybe tomorrow... You can turn around now. What do you think?"

"...you really want my comment?" Kakashi asked cautiously. She rolled her eyes, telling him non-verbally to just spit out his opinions. "...You look...different."

"Of course I look different! I look like a whore in a club waiting to pounce on the next guy she sees!" Chiaki finally lost her cool. Pulling up her dress, she said exasperatedly, "Why are there no straps to this damn thing? It's not secure at all!"

"It's designed this way." Kakashi replied dryly. "Why are you even wearing it?"

"Kunoichi classes." she replied simply.

Chiaki was seventeen this year, meaning she has reached the legal age to become a full-fledged kunoichi. It was an honor serving her village, but Chiaki was not so sure about the seducing part. She was taught since young on the ways of a kunoichi. The entire female population in the ninja academy was subjected to lessons regarding their opposite gender. Simply put, how men are wired. Push up your tits, sway your hips a little, and you have them wrapped around your finger, their sensei had summarized it in one sentence.

But everything she's taught was theoretical. Now that Chiaki was ready to become a kunoichi, she had to attend the advanced kunoichi classes, where she put what she's learned into practical uses.

Today was her first lesson, and they were given specific clothing to show up in, or lack of, she mused.

"Well, good luck."

"Sempai!" she whined.

Kakashi chuckled from his position on the window sill. "I hope this class could influence you to be more feminine. I guess I'll have ramen again with Naruto. Ja!" And with that, he disappeared from her room.

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Itachi was more than happy to see the gates of Konoha. His three months long mission had finally ended, and all he could think about was his mother's cooking. Genma and Shisui were no better, the ecstatic looks on their faces proved it all.

"I'm gonna visit Rina chan and Ayame chan later. Wanna come?" Shisui asked lazily.

Genma glanced at him, shifting the senbon in his mouth. "No thanks. I'd rather have a good day's sleep then tag along with you."

"How about you Itachi?" Shisui directed his question at the Uchiha prodigy. Genma snorted, the idea of Itachi near any civilian women was just ridiculous.

"What? He needs a woman!" Shisui said defensively. "I'm sure my girls are willing to serve you, Itachi."

Itachi sighed at the pointless conversation. "I most certainly do not need a woman, Shisui."

"Of course you do! If you continue down this single road, people are going to talk!"

"I do not care what they say."

"Your reputation as an Anbu captain is at stake, not to mention your man's pride!" Shisui continued on, not noticing the death rays their captain sent at him. "Just a few months ago before our mission, I heard Ebisu telling Kakashi sempai that he thinks you are..."

"Shisui, if you want to reach Konoha in one piece, I suggest you shut up and cut Itachi some slack." Itachi silently thanked Genma for intervening. His patience was running thin and he certainly did not want to bring an unconscious Uchiha back to the compound.

The rest of their journey was peaceful and Itachi found himself thinking about his mother's cooking again.

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"Push back your shoulders and walk towards him in confidence!"

Swallowing her complaints, Chiaki did as she was told, but Mizuki sensei tapped her right arm with a cane, instructing her to move her arms.

"You are too stiff, Ogiwara san! The man is not even looking at you!"

Raising her arms up in defeat, Chiaki protested, "That man you are referring to happens to be Inuzuka san using Henge no jutsu. So unless she is homosexual, I don't think anything I do can attract her."

Mizuki sensei's expression was priceless. Hana Inuzuka was laughing so badly she transformed back to her original self in a puff of smoke. "You...you...we will practice again tomorrow! And don't you plan on skipping, Ogiwara san!"

"Never." Chiaki smirked. With that, her sensei stormed out of the classroom, leaving Chiaki with Hana.

"Thanks for staying behind, Inuzuka san." She shot the older girl a smile of gratitude. "I didn't think I was that bad. At least I could walk in these unbelievably high heels."

"Please call me Hana. Don't worry about Mizuki sensei. She isn't used to students like you. Give her some time. She can be humorous."

"I hope so." Chiaki replied as she looked at the clock. "Oh shit, I'm late!" Grabbing her bag, she realized that she had forgotten to bring a change of clothes. "I am so dead." she muttered. Waving goodbye to Hana, she ran out of the classroom.

Chiaki was supposed to have dinner at the Uchiha compound. Being in the Ogiwara clan meant they have to constantly be on friendly terms with other clans, one of which involved the almighty Uchihas. That did not mean her clan was any less powerful. Her clan specializes in element control. Any Ogiwara ninja would be able to manipulate their specific element with ease. However, that's not all. Her clan had an affinity for birds. These creatures were the only thing they summon and Chiaki had the honor of summoning the legendary bird, the phoenix. That of course, only served to make her even more viable to be the clan heir.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Chiaki announced as Uchiha Mikoto opened the door, slightly alarmed by her state of dress.

"It's alright, my dear. We were just waiting for you."

"Thank you." As she stepped into the dining room, she felt four eyes staring at her. Squirming in her seat, she tried to explain her current attire, but Sasuke beat her to it.

"Why the hell are you dressed like a slut?" he asked bluntly, although his slightly colored cheeks revealed his unease. This was Chiaki, someone he would consider a sister, and yet he felt his pants tighten at the sight of her scantily clad. His father glared at him, silently warning him of his language, while his mother began apologizing to the Ogiwaras.

Chiaki sent Sasuke a scowl. "I was having my kunoichi classes and forgot the time." Mikoto san nodded understandingly, while Fugaku san, well, just ignored her presence. "I apologise for this inconvenience. It will not happen again." She added, hoping her sincerity would get her out of trouble with her parents later. It didn't seem to be in her favor, for she caught the look on her father's face. She was not forgiven. It was going to be a long night.

After finishing dinner and clearing the plates, Chiaki went to the roof with Sasuke to breath in some fresh air. "I haven't seen you or Naruto for quite a while now. What are you two up to?"

"I had a mission, while the dobe went training with the perverted frog. Why are you even attending these seduction classes? I thought you wanted to be in Anbu."

"I do. But I'm a woman and hence this shit is compulsory for me. Stupid sexist village." She muttered. "Anyway, if I can pass this class, I would have a better chance at entering Anbu. They are really short of kunoichis nowadays."

Sasuke looked at her, amused. "You know, if you want to get in to Anbu, you should first suck up to my aniki. He's the captain of the Anbu black ops, and should you be on his good side, the rewards are immense."

"Itachi?" Chiaki tried to recall his appearance. It had been a good seven years since she properly spoken to him. Even though she visited the Uchihas on a regular basis, she did not once encounter the famous Uchiha Itachi. He was always away on missions. But his scarce appearance did not make him any less appealing to the entire female population. Chiaki had heard her share of Itachi rumors from Sakura and Ino. They may be young, but definitely not immune to the looks of the Anbu captain. "Are you asking me to _seduce_him, Sasuke?"

"An effective way of applying what you've learnt on the field." He smirked.

"You are absurd!" She looked at him, horrified that he even suggested it in the first place. "Do you really think I could wear this piece of cloth which covers nothing and approach the Anbu head? Are you out of your freaking mind, Sasuke?" Chiaki slapped his arm.

"Hey, no need to get physical." He grumbled, rubbing his arm. "Come on, I'm his brother. I've seen countless of girls trying to seduce him, and to be honest, all of them sucked. I'm pretty sure that with your training, you will at least manage better than the others, Chi."

Chiaki huffed at his comment. "Well, if you know Itachi so well, don't you think it's weird that he pays no attention to any females? I heard Ebisu sempai telling Kakashi sempai that Itachi is actually asexual." She made sure to whisper the last part as softly as possible.

Sasuke widened his eyes, contemplating on her statement. Suddenly, he felt a very familiar chakra signature behind him, and before he could register, the person spoke, "Outoto, oka san wants to remind you that the guests are leaving soon."

Chiaki, having quicker reflexes than Sasuke, and also unfamiliar with the chakra signature, swiftly removed her kanzashi and aimed at the intruder's neck. The intruder caught the six inches long hairpin with ease, and that's when she got a proper look at his face.

She blanched. Standing a few metres away was none other than _Uchiha Itachi_. She stood there, speechless. She attacked the respected Anbu captain at his own house! Not to mention she was dressed like a whore, and holy shit, did he hear her little speech about his sexual orientation? She decided then and there even one year of kunoichi classes with Mizuki sensei could not compare with this fucking moment that seemed to last forever. Finally, Chiaki managed to pull her eyes away from the stoic Anbu captain, thinking of ways to escape this embarrassing moment.

Sasuke, on the other hand, reacted even more violently than Chiaki. He recoiled backwards in horror, not wanting to witness the fate of the Ogiwara. Itachi was never in a good mood to deal with anything whenever he returned from a mission. Should he encounter any problems before he reached his bed, he would not be easy to deal with. Sasuke remembered a few years ago, where he and Naruto decided to steal all his underwears for fun. It ended up with Naruto in the hospital and him witnessing a genjutsu disgusting enough to make him sick for a week. It was not fun at all.

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Meanwhile, in the study, the Ogiwaras and Uchihas were having an arcane meeting. Until this entire agreement is settled, the children are not supposed to know anything.

"So what do you think, Fugaku san?" Tadashi Ogiwara asked formally.

"I would say Itachi is a more suitable choice." He looked at his wife expectantly. Mikoto nodded, "He is. Sasuke may be closer to her, but he is still too young."

"I always thought those two were more like siblings." Yuuko Ogiwara smiled. "I believe Chi chan would be more than happy with our choice."

"Then it's settled?" Tadashi stood up, getting ready to leave.

"You have our support." Fugaku raised with his wife on the other side of the table. "We will go through the details within the next weeks before announcing this to the children."

Shaking hands to seal the agreement, the Ogiwaras left, thinking of ways to break this to their daughter.

**There you have it, my first chapter! Please review! And to clarify some things, Chiaki is 17, Itachi is 20, and Sasuke is 15. I have altered the age slightly to fit my story. And I am trying my best not to make Itachi an OOC. Oh, and Itachi's team…I actually gave some thought about it. Shisui was definitely in, and I added Genma because he is around the same age as them. Hopefully this will clear some doubts. -.- **


	2. Persnickety

**Hey peeps! So Chinese New Year is just around the corner and I thought this update will make a good festive present for everyone(:**

**I was actually a little upset with the lack of reviews for the first chapter. I mean, there are story alerts/favs, but no reviews? I'm not forcing anyone to review, but it definitely makes my day if you do! So please, spare a minute to make this poor author happy -.- **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

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You say you love the rain, but you open your umbrella.

You say you love the sun, but you find a shadow spot.

You say you love the wind, but you close your windows.

This is why I am afraid, you say that you love me too.

- William Shakespeare

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He was finally reaching home. Itachi managed a small smile as he ran past the quiet Uchiha compound, his sharingan already fixed on his bed. Genma stayed back to talk to the Hokage after they reported their mission. Shisui, on the other hand, dashed straight to the club.

Entering his home through the back door, he took out his mask tiredly and greeted his mother. "Tadaima."

"Okaeri. How's your mission?"

"It was a success." As always, he silently added.

His mother smiled. "Could you remind Sasuke of the time? The guests would be leaving soon."

And that was how Itachi ended up eavesdropping on Sasuke. He was at the window, ready to jump to the roof when he heard someone saying his name. Curiously, he looked up and saw Sasuke sitting beside a brunette. She looked younger than him, but with her attire and makeup, she could easily pass for one of Shisui's friends. However, the hitai-ate on her upper arm revealed her as a ninja. She seemed vaguely familiar, he thought. He saw her plenty of times in Konoha, but he did not know her name.

"Are you asking me to seduce him, Sasuke?"

"An effective way of applying what you've learnt on the field." Itachi's grip on the window tightened, thoroughly despising his brother for such ideas.

"You are absurd! Do you really think I could wear this piece of cloth which by the way covers nothing and approach the Anbu head? Are you out of your freaking mind?"

"Hey, no need to get physical. Come on, I'm his brother. I've seen countless of girls trying to seduce him, and to be honest, all of them sucked. I'm pretty sure that with your training, you will at least manage better than the others, Chi." Itachi honestly did not think Sasuke would be so interested in his social life, if he had any to begin with. He couldn't care less if the girl was a seduction mistress, he did not appreciate unwanted attention.

"Well, if you know your brother so well, don't you think it's weird that he pays no attention to any females? I heard Ebisu sempai telling Kakashi sempai that Itachi is actually asexual."

The last part was whispered, but being the Uchiha prodigy, Itachi managed to catch every single word. Now, he was not one who plasters emotions on their faces so easily, but he was sure he blushed. He could not believe Sasuke was having such a conversation with the kunoichi, or Chi, as his brother called her. So that was what Shisui wanted to tell him in the afternoon. Itachi was usually immune to rumors, but this was getting way out of line. Not wanting to hear anything worse about himself, Itachi appeared behind them in an instant.

"Outoto, oka san wants to remind you that the guests are leaving soon." He said in an indifferent tone, although he desperately wanted to hit something. 'Control your temper', he kept repeating reminding himself.

Before Sasuke could turn, the kunoichi was already on her feet, pulling out the kanzashi and hurling it at him. Itachi caught it with ease, irritated at her onslaught. Even though they were trained to be on guard every second of their lives, it did not give the woman any right to attack him in his own house! Did she not know who he was? He could end her life in an instant! Not only did she anger him, she even successfully got under his skin! Itachi clenched the kanzashi tighter and turned to look at his Outoto instead, not wanting to be distracted from the situation at hand.

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Sasuke's fear was evident, what with his dilating eyes and his shifting backwards. Itachi was glad he disciplined his brother for playing tricks on him previously, him of all people.

After what felt like forever, the kunoichi spoke. "Umm…I'm sorry, Uchiha taicho. I shouldn't have attacked you."

Sasuke walked towards her, looking almost relieved that someone broke the tension. "…Yeah. She's sorry." He repeated her words, only earning him a nudge and a glare from the female. "I mean…she needs to go. Yeah, Chi, your parents are waiting."

She shot a nervous grin at Itachi. "I'll be going then. Its nice meeting you, Uchiha taicho." She bowed to him before pulling Sasuke close and whispered something in his ear. Taking a final glance at Itachi, the female disappeared into the night.

Itachi continued glaring at the place the kunoichi had been standing. Sasuke began quietly slipping away, not wanting to face the wrath of his aniki. "Outoto." The hairs on his neck stood up as he heard Itachi's commanding voice. "Who was that kunochi?"

Sasuke looked at him, bewildered. "You don't recognize her?"

Itachi's blank look told him that he really had no idea. "She is Chiaki Ogiwara. She used to play with us, remember?"

"She played with you, Outoto. I was never acquainted with her." Itachi never played. But he did remember a girl who frequently visited the Uchiha compound when he was younger. He never imagined that the little girl would grow up to become this dark haired, grey eyes kunoichi. "Chiaki Ogiwara" Itachi practiced her name with his tongue. He knew her by her name. She was quite famous for summoning the phoenix. He just didn't link the name to this kunoichi. "Interesting." Turning around, he realized that Sasuke had already escaped to his room. Itachi decided to let him go just this once.

It was only when he reached his room that Itachi realized he still held Ogiwara's kanzashi.

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It was Saturday, and like any other weekends, Naruto woke up to the sound of someone shouting behind his apartment door.

He dragged his body up, unlocked the door, and was just about to..."Where the hell were you, dobe!" Someone screamed in his left ear.

"Ne? My ears are sensitive, damn it! You...oh Sasuke? What are you doing here early in the morning?" Naruto yawned again, rubbing his eyes to see better.

"You forgot again?" Sasuke's eyebrows twitched. He was no man of patience. "We always spared on Saturday mornings! You, me, Sakura! You dimwit! I have to come here every week to wake you up and give you the same speech!"

Naruto peered at his friend through his small, sleepy eyes. After processing it for a few seconds, he finally remembered his appointment with Team 7. "Oh that's right! Well, what are you still doing here? Let's go now!"

"You are the one who's late for almost an hour, dobe."

"Hmm...fine. I'll be early next week to kick your ass, Sasuke!" Naruto grinned as he rushed out of his house.

"And you say that every week." Sasuke grumbled. He strolled back to their training area as Naruto ran back home again, after realizing that he had not changed out of his neon orange pajamas.

Some things never change.

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To say Naruto was exhausted was an understatement. He was beyond tired, with his chakra level bordering dangerously on low. He had encountered an outrageous, foul tempered, almost insane _Sakura chan_ when he stepped onto the training grounds. Without any form of explanation, Sakura had proceeded to relentlessly attacking him, screaming profanities at him and basically destroyed anything within the vicinity. That wasn't it. While dealing with an extremely volatile kunoichi, he had to endure the smart ass look on Sasuke's face, which had I-told-you-so written all over it.

So here he was, slouching at his favourite ramen stall, avoiding his group members' conversation as he tried to heal his literally broken body and pride. _Sakura chan_ had refused to heal him as a 'punishment for being a pig'.

"Ahh, the ebi fry here sure is different, ne Naruto kun?" He shuddered at the malicious sweetness of Sakura chan's voice. She was scary, all right. Naruto had no plans of angering her any time today. He mumbled something unintelligent that earned a sickening smile from her, the smile that promised a good beating later on.

"It sure is, Sakura chan!" Naruto forced himself to be more enthusiastic as he watched his teammates eat. He was starving, having past the day with no breakfast as well, but he couldn't even hold anything with his broken fingers. Hence he resorted to sulking in his seat and thinking about all the mouth watering food he could eat if he hadn't been in this pathetic form.

"My, Naruto is not eating?" Kakashi appeared behind them without a warning. "And here I thought I was dreaming."

Naruto looked at his sensei helplessly as he bought the ramen of the day. "What are you doing here? Didn't you say that ramen is the last thing you'd eat?"

"I came to check on my favourite team!" Kakashi sensei beamed at them.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows, doubting the older man. Kakashi don't do things without a reason. "Where's your Icha Icha Paradise?" He pointed out suspiciously.

"Oh..I thought we should have some heart to heart talk. So how was your training this morning?"

Naruto saw this as a chance for justifying himself and jumped right at it. "It was hell!" he blurted out. The maddening gaze that Sakura sent at him made him wish he was dead. "I mean hellishly great! It was so intense! Sakura chan was really strong!" He could not afford another beating from the cherry blossom.

His sensei did not seem to notice anything abnormal, or he just couldn't be bothered to care, and continued on to question Sasuke about his Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu.

"It's powerful enough, but too chakra draining, and I haven't fully mastered this jutsu."

"Hmm...why don't you ask your brother? I'm sure Itachi san would like to train with you."

"No!" Sasuke's face was contorted into a mixture of horror and disgust. "I want to have minimal contact with that bastard. Besides, he's too busy with anbu to help me with my meagre tasks."

"Now Sasuke, you can't speak about your brother like that."

Everyone who knows Sasuke knows of the strong rivalry between the Uchiha siblings. Sasuke was always trying to be on par with Itachi in everything. So far the only category he was winning in was wooing girls, but that was only because Itachi had not bothered at all. Although none of them would admit caring for each other, their awkward concern for another can be clearly seen by outsiders.

"There is another option though," said Kakashi as his ramen arrived. Naruto was practically drooling at the food, his face inching closer and closer to the bowl, but went unnoticed as the rest listened intently on Kakashi's suggestion. "You could ask Chi."

"Eh?" Sakura gasped in surprise. "But she's not even an Uchiha! Why can't you train him, sensei?"

Kakashi chuckled. "I'm busy now. You do realise that you three are going on more and more missions without me? I won't be your sensei forever, Sakura. Besides, Chi is a great jounin!"

Sakura sighed, visibly disheartened at the mention of team 7 without their sensei. Sasuke was not deterred though. "Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu is a signature Uchiha move. How could Chi help me master it if she has not used this technique before?"

"You forgot she's an element user. I believe she can help you in more ways than you know."

Sasuke contemplated on this and deemed Kakashi's suggestion agreeable. As he turned to thank his sensei, he realised Kakashi's bowl of ramen was long empty, unnoticed by all of them. Team 7 had tried for a long time to reveal their sensei's face. It was never once successful. Perhaps they should stop their meaningless attempts and concentrate more on getting stronger, Sasuke mused.

"Now that I've gave you some valuable insight, I believe you should return the favor, Sasuke." Kakashi's eyes were twinkling with mischief as he said it.

Sasuke would have face palmed had he not been an Uchiha. He knew that their sensei was up to no good the very minute he entered the ramen shop without Icha Icha Paradise in hand. Sakura and Naruto looked at them expectantly, interested in the 'favor' that Sasuke owed. As if on cue, Kakashi spoke,"I just need you to answer a very simple, yes or no question!" The younger Uchiha had a bad feeling, and it was confirmed by the next sentence that their sensei so graciously expressed to them. "Are you dating Yamanaka san?"

"Ino?" Sakura screeched. Naruto literally fell off the chair. It took Sasuke a few minutes to recover and he was absolutely livid at the innuendo. "Where the fuck did that come from!"

"Someone saw you slipping out from her bedroom at two in the morning."

"I what?"

"He what?"

"You slept with my best friend?"

Kakashi shook his head. It was going to be a long afternoon.

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Chiaki was drinking with her friends again. Unlike girls of her age, her friends included her sempais as well as kohais. Being an advanced jounin and a famed Konoha nin at such a young age, Chiaki had to sacrifice her ex teammates for her career. Not that she was good friends with any of them. In between making new friends and busy mission schedules, she slowly drifted away from her team, and settled for people she was more comfortable with. She still spoke to them occasionally, but it was always an exchange of a few polite words.

"Hey, earth to Chiaki!" Kurenai Yuhi waved her hand in front of her fellow jounin. "What are you thinking of?"

Chiaki shook her head and gulped down another glass of sake. She had had her fair share of alcohol ever since she arrived at the club. She was not much of a drinker, believing that sake was bitter. But she did have a high tolerance for the addictive drink and was not afraid to take advantage of it. Despite the bitterness, Chiaki loved the scorching feeling in her throat once she swallowed the sake. Focusing her pupils, she tuned in to her friends' conversation.

"I hate that asshole." Yugao Uzuki complained loudly.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Are you even listening, Chi?" Kurenai sighed. "She is having guy problems."

"Sempai! It's not like I'm attracted to him!"

"Who is it, Yugao?" Chiaki shouted over the blasting music.

"Shisui!"

Chiaki was slightly shocked by that. Every woman in the village knew not to fall in love with that playboy. He jumps from woman to woman as quickly as he activates his sharingan. Yugao must have sensed her unease, for she started explaining herself again.

"I slept with that douche bag a few nights ago, and had seen him with at least four women ever since. It's not what you think, Chi. It just...It makes me feel pathetic, as though I'm a disappointment and he has to find other women to pleasure him. Couldn't he wait a few days before making the next move? No offence Chi, but I feel like some inexperienced virgin now."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Yugao. Shisui does that all the time. Think of all the other women who feel the same way as you. Come on, find yourself a guy that is worthy of your attention!" Kurenai tried to comfort her friend.

Chiaki shrugged, not knowing what to say. She was in fact a virgin. "Of all the hot guys in Konoha, why did you choose Shisui?" She asked innocently.

"You need to get your facts right, Chi. Firstly, there are NOT many hot guys in Konoha. Secondly, Shisui is like the sex god of the village. You want a good fuck, find him. And lastly, I didn't choose him, he came to me."

"You could have rejected him."

"Did you see his ass? Why would I let go of this amazing opportunity? Besides, his dick is-"

"Okay ladies, that is enough. I am not interested in the size of Shisui's dick, and neither should you, Chi. If you are really intent on joining anbu, he'll become your superior. Trust me, it's better not knowing."

Chiaki tilted her head. She did not consider the possibility of training under the flirty Uchiha should she join anbu. She decided its best not knowing the intimate parts of her sensei.

For the rest of the night, she resorted to drinking and gossiping with her friends. She is going to miss these relaxing, fun times when she applies for anbu.

**TBC. Have an awesome weekend! **


	3. Coexist

**Hi all! Finally my exams are over! Now what I am worried about is finding a job. Anyways, I have plenty of ideas for this story so I hope I can continue this quickly. As always, reviews are welcome**!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

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When we are ash, the world will know.

We made so very much, out of so very little.

- Tyler Knott Gregson

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It was a long day. Chiaki had breakfast with her ex teammates, training with Kurenai, filling out the never ending anbu application form and now, she is dragging her almost dead body to meet Hyuuga Neji. They were supposed to have their night duties today. He had been her team leader in most missions, and they can be considered acquaintances in their formidable team. Being a jounin meant that there were no fixed teams. Most of the time, her team consisted of the same people, but now and then someone would join in or leave, depending on the situation. Just like what the Godaime said, jounins do all the extra work. They have to go on night patrols, take care of the genins and chunins when their senseis are away, be in charge of the various ninja examinations and the list goes on.

As she neared the west gate, she noticed Neji was already there, waiting for her. Standing opposite him, she mumbled a greeting. Any form of conversation with Neji was awkward. Neji is more comfortable with silence, but Chiaki can never find the silence endearing, especially not with Neji around. She is not an extremely talkative person, but it takes the right kind of company to create a calming atmosphere with no awkwardness between the two.

"We have another mission next week." Neji voice broke the tension.

"Details?" Chiaki was glad that he took the hint and started a conversation.

"Find out whether a particular feudal lord is corrupted."

It was a trip to the Hidden Village of mist. The mission is not particularly easy, as Lord Daishinn is a prominent figure in the village and so all investigations have to be done in private. It was unwarranted, after all, that's why the mission required them to go under cover.

"So basically, it's espionage." Chiaki summarized.

And with that, they were back to the silence once again. But this time, she did not harp on the uncomfortable silence. No, she was too busy worrying about the mission. What if she made mistakes? How would it affect her anbu application? Anbu is known to be very strict and selective, which means that every single mission counts. Neji seems to sense her worry, and started to humor her.

"You'll be fine."

Chiaki snorted. "You say that everytime we have a mission together."

"But I mean it this time. Don't complete this mission for the anbu application. Do it for the sake of Konoha."

Chiaki sighed. It's easy to say, but hard to do. Looking up at the starless night, she could only hope that everything would fall into place.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sakura was humming as Sasuke and Naruto engaged in another tougue lash. They are like fire and water, she mused. Polar opposites, yet one cannot exist without the other.

She waited patiently for them to stop, but after a good thirty minutes of unrestrained argument, she decided to step in. "Boys-"

"We're not boys!" Somewhere between their argument, one of them threw her words back.

Squeezing her eyes to keep her temper, she tried again. "Okay guys, we are all matu-"

"Sakura, stay out of this! It's between me and teme!"

"As I was sayin- oh fuck it, I don't give a damn anymore. You bunch of pig headed idiots, can you stop you pointless dispute for just a second and listen to me!" Finally, her long awaited silence. Clearing her throat, Sakura continued. "We are supposed to spend this day together, as a team, so just for today, can we be civil towards one another?"

After her little speech, Sakura immediately reverted back to her cheerful self. "Now, where were we supposed to go today?"

She could hear her teammates' silent bickerings as she walked ahead of them. Words like "mood swings" and "control freak" floated into her ears. She knew Sasuke was complaining about her, and Naruto, being Naruto, tried to rationalize with him.

She is not letting that ruin her day. Forcing a smile on her face, she continued on.

The streets were bustling with people; it always was during the weekends. Sakura could see Shikamaru eating with Chouji. As usual, Chouji was stuffing lumps of meat into his mouth. Sometimes, she really wondered how flexible Chouji's mouth is. That guy could swallow a hippopotamus without a second thought!

Turning to point that out to her teammates, she realized they were gone. What is wrong with those two, she thought angrily. They should at least inform her of their disappearance. Sakura traced back their original route, trying to sense their chakra. Sure enough, she found them at a dango shop, chatting happily with Chiaki. She gritted her teeth, obviously unhappy with her findings.

Sakura would never admit it, but she was very jealous of Chiaki. The two of them were never good friends. They knew each other through Sasuke. They would exchange words of greetings, but nothing deeper ever transpired between them. She knew Chiaki was making an effort to talk to her, but she did not want to be another one of her minions. She didn't like the way people are attracted to her. She did not like her bloodline limit. She most certainly hated the way she interacts with her teammates. Yes, Haruno Sakura felt threatened by Chiaki. Naruto and Sasuke were _her_ teammates, so why do they spend more time with their _beloved Chi_?

Controlling her thoughts, she flared her chakra so that the three happy couples could sense her presence.

"Oh hi Sakura chan!"

"Excuse me for interrupting, but I need to drag these two dimwits away." She sneered.

"Well then, I'll leave now. See you guys soon!"

"Ja, Chiaki san!" Sakura waved goodbye in such an exaggerated manner she believe her arms would fall off.

"You talk to Chi like you don't know her." Sasuke pointed out bluntly.

"Is this the first time you listened to our conversation? And truthfully, we are not that close." Sakura lifted her chin, daring them to refute.

"But Sakura chan, you didn't even say goodbye! She's leaving for a mission tomorrow!"

The dark clouds in her head cleared at that statement. "Oh really? Well then, we should get going too."

Naruto chased after her, but Sasuke continued glaring the Sakura. Something is wrong, he just couldn't figure out what.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She wanted to leave now. Get this whole mission thing over and done with. Admittedly, now was not really a good time for missions. The annual Aomori Nebuta festival was coming up in two weeks, and she really wanted to make it back in time.

Sighing, she zipped up her backpack and sank into her bed. She did not once notice a flicker of shadow outside her window. Hidden in the trees was an anbu member watching her as she read through the mission files again before turning in.

Itachi leaned rigidly against the tree as he analysed their anbu applicant with his blood red eyes. The curtains at her windows were open, making it to easy to spy on her. He was not surprised to see Chiaki Ogiwara's application, but he was honestly intrigued by this kunoichi. What was it about her that catched his attention, he didn't know. Taking one last look at the kunoichi, he disappeared into the night, feeling an almost unnoticeable tug in his heart as he did so.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She consumed another solder pill as they travelled non stop towards the Rock. The weather was not exactly doing her a favour. It was only mid day, and she already felt severely dehydrated and hungry. Neji, sensing her straining perseverance to keep up, coaxed her take it easy. "It will not do to tire yourself now and become vulnerable later."

"But-"

"We will take a short rest after we reached the edge of this forest." He said firmly.

Sensing no room for argument, Chiaki nodded curtly. She was grateful for Neji's consideration. Should he not bring this up, she would have continued on all the way to Rock, regardless of her physical state. He was indeed an observant leader, and she respected him for that.

Once they reached the outskirts of the forest, Chiaki immediately fell to the ground, trying to catch her breath. Neji passed her his bottle, and she drank greedily. After a few minutes of recovery, they began going through the mission in greater detail.

The rest of the day was spent travelling. The next day was no different. On the third day, they finally reached the mist. Chiaki quickly booked an inn while Neji went to survey the surroundings.

"We will begin tonight." Neji laid out the map of Lord Daishinn's manor and reviewed their roles again. "You will grab his attention during the dinner party later and steal his keys. I will then look for the relevant intel while you hold his interest for as long as possible. Should everything proceed smoothly, we will be able to leave unscathed tomorrow."

"By holding his interest, you mean seducing him." She commented dryly.

"Should you not be dressing up for tonight?" Neji eyed her warily.

"Fine." She huffed as she grabbed her necessities and headed to the bathroom. After changing into her sapphire A line, empire waist evening dress, she set about doing her hair. It was enjoyable, dolling herself up. She was so engrossed in putting on her matching sapphire ear rings that Neji's unexpected knock almost made her prick her ear. "Coming!" Chiaki shouted as she patted her hair and added the finishing touches. "You can come in now!"

She heard the door open and naturally turned to face him, her dress twirling around her waist. "What do you think?"

Neji was beyond words. Chiaki looked entirely different with the evening gown. The deep blue colour complemented her skin while the shinning beads at her chest made her face more radiant than before. "You look...adequate."

Chiaki's smile immediately dropped when she heard that word slip from his mouth. "Excuse me? I spent my three months' savings on this dress and all you can say is adequate?"

"Stunning. You look stunning." His lips curled into a rare smile as he watched her face lit up again. "This will definitely grab his attention."

"You mean seducing him."

"Where did you hide your weapon?" He avoided her unnecessary comment.

"In my heels." He heard her mutter something about Uchiha taking her kanzashi. "Let's go."

If there was any saving grace about Lord Daishinn, it would be his ability to throw such a grand evening ball. The entire manor was transformed into an extravagant ballroom, with elaborate designs of dragons covering every corner of the wall. Chiaki momentarily forgot about her mission until Neji nudged her shoulder, pushing her to follow the crowd. Lord Daishinn was easy to spot. He was greeting every single guest and had gold draped all over him. Signalling Neji to take her leave, Chiaki grabbed two cocktails and waltzed over to her target. She gave him a sickening smile as she took a sip of the cocktail. "Hajimemashite, my lord. You hold such great parties."

"It is nothing compared to how stunning you look, my lady." She watched in disgust as he gave her an once-over. "What is your name? I have never seen you around before."

"Rika. I came with Lord Yamamoto's son." She lied smoothly. Lord Yamamoto's son was a well known playboy. So notorious was he with women that it would be virtually impossible to trace Chiaki to him. She draped her left arm on Lord Daishinn's shoulder and pouted. "He was flirting with all the other women and I got jealous. So here I am, greeting the owner of this amazing place."

The two bodyguards behind the lord was about to reprimand her for touching the lord, but he silenced them. "It's alright. You can leave me now."

"But my lord," one of them argued. "Your safety is of utmost importance!"

"Am I not safe in my own house? You don't need me to repeat again. Leave."

Chiaki watched the scene in high spirits. The bodyguards would only serve as a hindrance later. Her eyes sweeped around to locate Neji. "Rika, was it? There is this room I want to show you. How about you follow me there now." The target wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly moved it down her curves. Chiaki grimaced but covered it by pulling him closer and used the other hand to swipe his kimono, looking for pockets. Fortunately, she found one bulging with her object of interest.

Immediately, she dived into a kiss with her target, trying to distract him while she steals the keys from his pocket. "Mmm, so eager. I love your passion."

"Where is that room you wanted to show me?" Chiaki pushed him towards the hallway where she knew Neji would be hidden. As they staggered up the stairs in a heated lip lock, she arcanely handed over the keys to Neji. Now the only thing left is to seduce Lord Daishinn long enough for Neji to grab the relevant information. It's going to be a long night.

They were exhausted by the time they reached the inn. The night was successful, but Neji did not retrieve enough evidence against the village magnate. Chiaki was having an even worse time.

"He don't even shave! He has hair everywhere! I hate that!"

"Chiaki..."

"His skin is flabby and old with wrinkles!"

"You need to..."

"I hate him!"

"Chiaki Ogiwara!" She whipped her head towards Neji angrily. "What? You are not the one sharing saliva with this disgusting, pathetic excuse of a man!"

"This is your first attempt at missions of such nature. You did a fairly good job." Neji assured her, not at all deterred by her crude words. "You need to calm down. Hundreds of kunoichis have to do that."

"I know." Chiaki sighed. "But why can't they send me after a young and handsome lord instead?"

Neji smiled slightly at her innocence, but quickly covered it. Their mission was not exactly a success, and they have to find further evidences of Lord Daishinn's corruption. "Go take a bath. We have much to discuss."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took them four days to steal the scroll, much longer than what Neji intended. Lord Daishinn has apparently top notch security and highly proficient shinobis following him around, rendering it hard to make any move. The only time they could come in contact with him again was the party on the third day, celebrating his tenth year as the village magnate. Honestly, that man could hold a party for any trivial reason and people would flock to attend. Chiaki disguised herself as Rika after much persuasion from Neji, and proceeded to act her role again. Fortunately, they were successful this time and Neji found the information he needed. As quietly as they came, they left the hidden village of Rock.

However, luck did not follow them all the way back to Konoha. Chiaki and Neji found themselves stuck in the same predicament again. Lord Daishinn discovered their little acts pretty fast, and sent his best men after them.

"Finish this quickly." Neji whispered into her ear. Nodding, she narrowed her eyes and went for a red haired shinobi. She threw a punch at him, which he blocked easily, and proceeded to swipe his feet off. Neji had immediately activates his Byakugan and went straight for the kill. He did not hesitate once as he took the enemies down, one at a time. By the time he was done, Chiaki had most of them blown miles away with her wind jutsu. "That was easy. What happened to 'top shinobis of rock'?"

"There are still more coming." Neji warned as he observed using his Byakugan. "Do you still have enough chakra?"

Chiaki nodded, though she knew it would not last long. She discreetly reached for her weapons pouch, preparing herself for the onslaught.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Five years ago, when anyone asked her why her daughter was not yet sent for marriage, Yuuko Ogiwara would have proudly stated that her daughter was a strong kunoichi who would make independent decisions. That was why she felt so impeccably terrible when she gave her daughter away to a man that she may never love.

She knew how clans work, being an unfortunate victim to many of the clan laws. Females, especially those in the head family, were taught from young that their sole existence was to bear children to ensure the clan's survival. Who they marry, that decision would be upon their parents. Most marriages had political motives behind them, which means the participating female had little or no choice in deciding their other half. Many of her female friends thought it was unfair, how females were discriminated and looked upon as objects to be traded, but none of them had the guts to stand up and question the clan law. No one dared to refute the clan heads. That was until Yuuko was married to Tadashi, the son of their then clan head. Tadashi had picked her amongst all the other women in their clan, and her parents were willing to do whatever they can to please the clan head.

No one asked for _her _opinion about the arranged marriage. No one cared that _she _did not love Tadashi Ogiwara. And of course, no one knew about her boyfriend at that time too. He was a rather handsome chunin that she became acquainted with in the ramen shop. They started out as friends, but soon, both of them knew this relationship meant something more. It started with Yuuko sneaking out every night to see him, until her parents discovered her "midnight walks", and they resorted to sending letters via his summoning animal to communicate. It was tiring, having to maintain this secret relationship of theirs, but Yuuko was happy. He was her first love. She thought about him every night before she fell asleep; she giggled like a seven year old everytime she received her letter; her heart thumps wildly when she saw him on the streets but pretended they were strangers.

This wondrous feeling that kept her head in the air had her hoping, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she could marry the man she loved one day.

But fate was cruel and gave her to Tadashi. She had to break off all contacts with the chunin she loved. She took a long time to recover from her heartbreak, three years, to be exact. She came to accept her role as the wife of the clan head eventually. She realised that she could never love Tadashi, nor could he love her. They had formed a strange kind of companionship with one another, but that's about it. They were more than friends, but never lovers. But when she gave birth to Chiaki, she solemnly declared to herself, never let her daughter experience what she had gone through. She argued with Tadashi to give their daughter ninja training, and always did her best to scare away any potential suitors. She had hoped that by becoming a kunoichi, her daughter can be stronger than her, and choose her own path instead of the one chosen for her.

But there was only so much she could do. Her daughter was now in danger – being affiliated with the legendary phoenix meant that she was vulnerable to attacks. Many would stop at nothing to capture and use her to their advantage. The Hokage had warned Tadashi that the anbus found enemy shinobis at the borders of Konoha, all trying to find a way to kidnap her daughter. The clan elders argued that Chiaki was a valuable asset to the Ogiwara clan, and should anything happen to her, it would not only destroy their reputation, but also put Konoha in danger. Yuuko, however, could care less about tarnishing the clan's reputation, but her daughter's safety must always be first. If allying with the Uchihas could protect Chiaki, she would do it with no second thoughts.

She knew her daughter would be furious when she learned of this forced marriage. She could only hope that Chiaki would be strong enough to do what she failed to do all these years. Love her husband.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chiaki watched Neji kill the last shinobi using his gentle fist technique. She had always been amazed by how someone could annihilate by pinpointing the exact position of the chrakra points alone. It would be such an efficient way of defeating enemies. She was knocked out of her trance when Neji turned and glared at her.

"What are you doing? We need to leave, now. There are more coming."

Although the ninjas sent by Lord Daishinn were not skilled, the fight did drain their chakra. It didn't take much for Chiaki to figure out that they would be severely outnumbered and tired if they continue to fight. Neji must have figured out that the possibility of them making it back alive in this condition was not pretty, thus the rush. Chiaki knew she was already on autopilot. Her body was in pain from the injuries of the previous battle, and the wound on her left leg was slowing her down. She could only feel the numbness of her body as she pushed herself to escape from this predicament. She barely heard Neji's warning and bumped into his back as he skidded to a halt.

"You need to focus here, Chiaki. There's another chakra signature in front of us." Neji murmured to her harshly as he scanned the surroundings with his byakugan. "It is much stronger than those previous ninjas that we've fought. Do not be a liability now."

Just as Chiaki reached for a kunai in her pouch, the enemy stepped out of the bushes. Her eyes widened at the sight of red clouds. _Akatsuki._ Could Lord Daishinn have such power that he could even command the Akatsuki?

"What brings you here, Akasuna no Sasori?" Neji gritted out.

"Stay away from this, Byakugan brat. We are here for the Phoenix user." The red head criminal responded blandly. "If you step away from her now, we may give you a chance of survival."

Both leaf ninjas heard the double meaning in his words. _We?_ As if answering their unspoken question, another Akatsuki member jumped right next to Sasori, from a big clay bird in the sky, quite literally.

"What did I miss, yeah?"

"Deidara of Iwagakure." Chiaki stared at the blonde who reminded her of Ino. He had a giant tongue on his hand, for God's sake! She had never encountered these two Akatsuki members, but from her previous experience with Kisame, she did not doubt their abilities at all. She frowned as she thought of what the red head – Sasori said. They were here because of her summoning animal, so there was no doubt the Akatsuki wanted to use her. However, they had previously focused their attention on Naruto and this was the first time Akatsuki expressed their interest in _her_. She was warned that this could happen, but now to actually experience it, to know that s classed criminals was after her, that was, simply put, terrifying. Her injuries were temporarily forgotten as she grabbed her kunai tighter, trying to find comfort in her weapon. She glanced at Neji, but immediately wished she didn't. He had a perplexed look plastered on his face, as he mentally calculated there chances of defeating two Akatsuki members in their current condition and escape unscathed. He was hesitating, she noted, which never meant anything good.

"Do you really think I would willingly hand over a teammate to the Akatsuki?"

"Your loss then, Hyuuga." The blonde guy grinned manically. "At least you would be able to witness my art."

Neji untied his ponytail and got into his battle stance. Chiaki widened at their secret signal.

"_If we encounter any difficult situations, any situation at all, that I think we could not handle, I would let down my hair. When you see that, I want you to escape. I would create a diversion so that you could run, do you understand?" _

"_What do you mean by that? We are a team, Neji! I can't just abandon you like that! You don't need to protect me or anything, I can hold off on my own." _

"_You don't seem to understand, Chiaki. We are on mission. We need to report everything to the Hokage. If both of us stayed and didn't make it, it would also mean that the mission is a failure. That is why it is imperative that one of us needs to reach Konoha, alive." _

"_Even if it means…?" _

"…_yes….But don't worry. I won't use the secret signal unless I absolutely have no choice." _

"_I understand your reasoning, but still…"_

"_Do you promise me?" _

"_But…"_

"_For the sake of Konoha." _

"…_Fine." _

They had this discussion right after they were paired together a few years ago. He had never used his signal during previous battles, and this being his first time using it proved how grave the situation was. Chiaki felt the sick for what she was about to do, even though it may be the right thing. Abandoning her teammates was never her nature, but she knew she had to run. That was her best chance of escaping Akatsuki. If they ever got their hands on the Phoenix, Konaha would be destroyed. Her home, her family and friends, would all die in vain.

Resigned, she looked at her teammate's back once more as he threw a smoke bomb, before dashing in the direction of her village. She could hear explosions and curses as she prayed for the safety of Neji. A hundred more miles, Chiaki repeated mentally. She could see the familiar trees surrounding Konoha already. A little more, a little more, she mentally encouraged herself. However, her concentration was broken when a small clay bird hit her on the back and immdediately exploded, sending her to the ground. She winced as she felt her raw flesh being exposed to air.

"Caught you! Still want to run, yeah?"

It took all of her resolve to stand up and make the hand signs for a wind barrier. She could only go on defensive now, and hope that it would give her a few extra minutes to escape. Her chakra levels are edging to borderline low, which means that she could only use two more jutsus left before she completely run out of chakra. Chiaki pushed herself even more, now seeing the Hokage tower at the distance.

"You think you could just run away from me, you weakling? I would catch you anyway, yeah!"

This time, Chiaki was prepared for any little clay animals. She used her kunai to deflect some of the clay animals, while using the other hand to perform another wind jutsu. "Spinning tornado!" She shouted, as a gargantuan tornado appeared behind her, sucking away all the irritating clay animals. Of course, she also had to use the last of her chakra to anchor herself more firmly to the ground as she ran. "Kuso!" She cursed, knowing that she would not be able to reach Konoha in time. "Summoning jutsu!"

A flaming red bird the size of a crow appeared out of the blue. "You called for me, Chiaki san?"

"Hai. I need you to pass this scroll to Tsunade sama. Ask her to send me backup, the Akatsuki is coming for me." She watched as Deidara negated her wind jutsu with another one of his bombs. "There's another Akatsuki member, Sasori I believe, fighting with Neji. I'm not sure how long Neji can hold, we are both out of chakra."

"I could restore your chakra, Chiaki san. It's the least I can do. They are here for me, after all." The phoenix spoke solemnly.

"That would be great, thanks." Chiaki smirked as she accepted a feather that the bird plucked from her wings. "Now go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sasori watched as the kunoichi glowed red, completely engulfed in the phoenix's chakra. She looked ethereal, like a fallen angel, and for a moment, he forgot about being Akatsuki, being an s ranked criminal who killed hundreds in cold blood. The legendary power of the phoenix, able to purify all sins and removes evil from the world; he could see what Pein sama was talking about now. However, the phoenix is tied to its master, and they could not wield its power without the kunoichi. Unlike the tailed beasts, summoning animals could not be extracted, and especially the phoenix, known to be only loyal to one master. He did not know how Pein sama is going to control the phoenix if they were to obtain it, but for now, he was determined to complete his mission. "Deidara, you couldn't even handle a little minx like her?"

"Oi, Sasori danna, I wasn't even serious just now! Heh, now that I am, I'll show you the true meaning of art, yeah!"

Chiaki couldn't stop fear lumping in her throat when she saw Sasori walk out of the bushes with barely a scratch on him. This only means…"Kunoichi, it is in your best interests to stop this foolishness and surrender now. Your teammate is already dead. Don't overestimate yourself and think that you could beat two Akatsuki members all by yourself."

"Don't try to work on my guilt, Sasori san. Shinobis do not need emotions." Chiaki said tonelessly as she fell into her battle position. "I've already called for backup, they would arrive any minute now. In fact, I'm not so sure that I'm the one being at a disadvantage."

Sasori frowned. He did not expect the kunoichi to exhibit such perceptiveness and maturity. "Deidara, we only have a few minutes at best. Finish this quickly."

"Katsu!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They were closing in on the unknown chakra signatures fifty miles from the village. The hokage sent his team to protect Chiaki Ogiwara, and capture the Akatsuki, if possible. His sharingan surveyed the area before landing on the tense kunoichi attacking endlessly with wind jutsu. A gust of wind blew past him, and it almost felt as though someone was caressing his face, literally. 'Wind laced with chakras' he thought, 'She is not just any wind user. She _is _the wind.'

"Anbu san, you're here. That's good." Her melancholic voice rang in his ears. The wind stopped and the forest became still once again. The kunoichi swayed slightly, finally feeling the effects of her sudden chakra loss.

He felt his hands twitching at Ogiwara's unsteadiness, wanting to reach out and hold her close so that she would never fall. However, the red head Akatsuki disrupted his thoughts. "What a pleasant surprise, Itachi. The hokage would never sent your team if she didn't deem this an emergency."

He stiffened slightly, unwilling to admit that the Akatuski could recognise him so easily, even when he was wearing his mask. "Indeed, Sasori. You should know that you and your partner are no match to three anbus at your current state." He saw the kunoichi turn to regard him with wary eyes. "Tch, do you wish to explode artistically, un?" The blonde snarled at him irately.

"Stop, Deidara. Our mission is to capture the Ogiwara, we do not have time for games." Sasori turned to address him tonelessly. "Itachi, while your previous statement holds little truth in it, we still have other missions to complete. I am sure your purpose today is not only to protect the Ogiwara, but to capture us. Unfortunately, this ends here."

Gemma tensed beside him, ready to attack the Akatsuki before they leave, but Itachi knew going after them was a lost cause. He placed a hand in front of Gemma just as he witnessed Deidara's sadistic smile. "Katsu!" He felt a jolt in his heart as a piercing scream escaped the kunoichi's mouth the next second. How could he not notice the small bug on the kunoichi's left shoulder was made of clay?

"That's our parting gift, Chiaki Ogiwara, yeah. See you next time!"

Gemma and Shisui jumped forward into the smoke, trying to locate the two Akatsuki members, but to no avail. Itachi's sharingan sensed another waning chakra signature, which he immediately identified as Chiaki's, and proceeded to aid her. Her left side was entirely covered in blood and he could see the flesh and bones on her left shoulder. He gritted his teeth at the sight, unable to brush off his anger towards the Akatsuki for hurting her. "Are you alright?" He asked as he kneeled beside her, one arm lifting her body up and the other brushing her side to check the extent of the injuries. He felt her move her head closer to his shoulder as she replied him weakly. "I'm fine. Go…go tend to Neji…he's hurt."

He briefly wondered why she is seeking comfort in him. Perhaps she did it unconsciously, but her actions brought a twinge of happiness to him. Itachi stared at the messy bundle of dark brown hair lying against his shoulder, and lifted her up bridal style without second thought. "Genma, Shisui, go search the area for Hyuuga Neji. He must be here somewhere. I will bring the kunoichi back with me."

"Something feels wrong, Genma." Shisui turned to his partner after Itachi left pronto.

"You mean Itachi carrying Chiaki back?"

"He's not actually worried about her, right?"

Genma snorted at that idea. "This is Itachi we are talking about. He's about as asexual as komodo dragons."

"Yeah. Let's scout the area for Hyuuga san." As Shisui tried to identify Neji's chakra signature, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off with Itachi. He saw Itachi's eyes just before he left with Chiaki. There was something lurking behind the usual emotionless sharingan – worry.


	4. Lies

**This chapter was not easy to write because I wanted to make sure I've expressed their emotions correctly. May not be perfect since I got really tired of editing. anyway, please tell me what you think(: **

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.****

since feeling is first  
>who pays any attention<br>to the syntax of things  
>will never wholly kiss you;<br>wholly to be a fool  
>while Spring is in the world<p>

my blood approves,  
>and kisses are a better fate<br>than wisdom  
>lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry<br>—the best gesture of my brain is less than  
>your eyelids' flutter which says<p>

we are for each other: then  
>laugh, leaning back in my arms<br>for life's not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

**- e.e cummings**

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The ashen morning sky coupled with the quiet rumble of the thunderclouds was what she saw when she came into consciousness. The tree branches outside the window were swaying dangerously with the battering wind while the leaves quivered against the occasional lightning, signal an impending storm. A small breeze brushed through the window and gently caressed her cheeks, as though welcoming her back. She took a deep breath, happy to be greeted with her element, until she discovered where she was. Her wrist was connected with tubes and her skin itched of those cheap hospital clothes. No longer feeling peachy keen, she unbuttoned the first button near the collar, exposing her neck. The cool breeze seemed to soothe the burning sensation near her throat, but it still itched like hell. Irritated, she tried to scratch that spot, but something grabbed her wrist before she could reach her destination. She tensed, her other arm twitching to reach to her weapons pouch which she knew was removed.

"Don't attack, kunoichi." She took a few seconds to register the deep velvet voice before turning to meet red sharingan eyes. _Fuck my life, _she panicked. _What is he doing here? _She swallowed the bile in her throat and asked where she was, her voice sounding coarser than she expected.

"In Konoha's hospital. You fought with two Akatsuki members two days ago and were knocked unconscious by an explosion." He released her wrist, so slowly that it seemed unwilling on his part, that she almost thought he craved her touch. "You should not move too much. Your shoulder is not completely healed."

She immediately felt sore at her shoulder joints after his sentence. "Why are you here, Uchiha taicho?"

"I am responsible for your safety." He said it in a nonchalant manner. _Jerk._ She bit back a retort, dissatisfied with his indifferent tone. They stayed like that for a few seconds, neither moving nor speaking to each other. Giving up to this silent battle of patience, Chiaki stated blatantly, "I'm thirsty. Would you kindly pour me a glass of water?"

She observed his reaction carefully. If any indication, he raised his brows slightly at the request, a silent who-do-you-think-you-are-ordering hanged in the stale air. For a moment, she thought he was going to leave and call a nurse to tend to her, but he surprised her by grabbing the flask and poured her a cup. She was even more shocked by his next move. _The_ Uchiha Itachi, taicho of anbu squad one, rearranged her pillows and gently pushed her to a half sitting position before passing her the cup of warm water. As he leaned towards her, Chiaki took in a breath of his musky scent, a mixture of a tinge of leather, his soap, and something unfathomable. It was difficult to describe it with precision, but Chiaki felt her cheeks warm and her heart beat faster at the unbelievably nice smell of Itachi. That, and how his hair was brushing against her cheeks and his lips so close to her collarbones. Averting her eyes from the intimidating figure beside her, she tried to calm her treacherous heart and took a sip of water. "I am also here to inform you that your anbu application has been considered and you are to report to the west tower of the anbu building next week for the preliminary test."

Chiaki almost spitted out the water when she heard him say preliminary test. She could not resist bouncing on the hospital bed as she confirmed excitedly, "So you've accepted my application?"

"Hn. You should take your injuries seriously and make sure it heals completely before the preliminary test. It will not be easy."

"Hai. I understand." She smiled brightly at the elder Uchiha. _Oh my god! I am going to the preliminary rounds! _She was now one step closer to her dream. Staring at Itachi with bright eyes, she noticed his attire for the first time. He was in his anbu uniform, safe his chest armour and mask, which was hanging on his right shoulder. She could distinctively identify the muscles on his arms and his toned body from the way his black vest hugged upper half. He was not extensively muscular, but he was fit, and had a body most males would die for.

"Chiaki san, you're finally awake!" She blushed and quickly turned her head, embarrassed that she was checking out the Uchiha captain, of all people. "Ano, ohayou gozaimasu, Uchiha taicho! I'm surprised that you're still here."

The Uchiha captain glanced at Chiaki once more before walking towards the door. "I'm leaving. Give her some cream, she's allergic to the hospital clothes."

Chiaki greeted the smiling Sakura with a nod. Itachi was giving her lots of surprises today. Just how long had he been by her bedside? And how did he notice her rashes? Was he worried about her? _No, he's Uchiha Itachi, the emotionless, asexual team captain. _She reassured herself. "You seem fine to me, Chiaki san. I think you can leave today." Sakura scribbles some notes on her list after probing Chiaki with healing chakra.

"That's good, thank you. How's everyone?" Chiaki always felt the need to be formal with Sakura. She wanted them to be friends, but there was just something that prevented her from being as casual to Sakura as she is to others. She heard the scribbling stop suddenly and looked up to see Sakura's slightly accusing eyes. "They are all very worried about you, especially Naruto and Sasuke. They wanted to stay until you awake, but Uchiha taicho chased them off. Do you know how much trouble you've caused? Neji san is still unconscious and shows no signs of recovery. Do you have any idea how worried the Hyuuga clan is now? How could you just ran off and leave him behind? I don't care if it's an order, a shinobi is supposed to watch their teammates' back, no matter what. You…you just…"

Chiaki fisted into the bedsheets, her knuckles turning white as she took in Sakura's apprehensive words. Neji. How could she have forgotten about Neji? She woke up and ogled at the Uchiha captain instead of asking about Neji. _I'm the worst._ She could feel tears rim up her eyes as the rough texture of the bedsheets blurred. It was an order; they had discussed it beforehand. She knew it was the right decision, but she was wholly responsible for his injuries. What if he had died?"You're right, Sakura san. I'm sorry."

"It's too late for that now. Tell that to him when he wakes up." All she heard was the curt reply, shoes clicking againt the floor and a slam. It was all it took for her to break down completely. Neji did not deserve this. She should be the one unconscious. She dug her nails into her palms, making red, crescent shaped indents on her skin. She felt so useless having to depend on the anbu for saving her. They should not have even considered her. An anbu should be strong enough to hold his ground against an Akatsuki. She obviously wasn't. She wanted to disappear. She did not know how to face her friends. Would they judge her? _They should. _Would they want to talk to her? _They shouldn't. _Her mind was all jumbled in the labyrinth of thoughts, and she could barely register a warm figure hugging her, whispering 'it's okay' in her ears.

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Unlike what most people think, Tsunade can hold her liquor pretty well, and that's the only reason why the elders had not interfered with this predisposition of hers. She could think reasonably if she wanted to, and right now, she is perfectly fine listening to the report from anbu squad one whilst drinking her sake. Or not. "Hokage sama, are you even listening to us?"

"Of course I am, midgets!" She slammed her sake down, though her face was rosy pink from all the sake she drank. "Where's that Itachi brat?"

Genma scratched her head and gave an embarrassed laugh. "He's busy. He ordered us to deliver the report first." Tsunade glanced at Shisui, who was complaining under his breath about something. "What, that Uchiha's got a date or something? Tch, he's getting smug these days. So how are Chiaki and Neji?"

"I'm not so sure about their current condition." Shisui replied. "Chiaki was badly burnt after the facing off the Akatsuki, and the Hyuuga was almost dead when we found him. He had multiple wounds on his body and poison in his system."

"The last I checked both of them were still unconscious, Neji san a little worse off than Chiaki san." Shisui contributed.

Tsunade contemplated on what they had said. "I will ask Sakura for their records later. There's something not making sense here. What did the Akatsuki need from Chiaki?"

"…"

"Hmm… From the looks of the battle, I think they needed to capture her alive." Genma responded. "If they were ordered to kill her, they would have been more brutal than that." Shisui nodded in agreement.

"But why do they need her alive? Most of the shinobis were sent to kill her, why do the Akatsuki need her _alive?_" Tsunade scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

"Indeed, it doesn't make sense at all. If the Akatsuki wants her alive, it means that they intend to use her to summon the Phoenix. But unless Chiaki is willing to cooperate, I do not think there is any reason for that."

"That was what I thought too. Currently, Akatsuki's goal seems only to be capturing all the bijuus. Why do they suddenly need the Phoenix? It would be useless trying to control it since it is only loyal to Chiaki, and they can't possibly extract a summoning animal. It doesn't make sense at all."

Genma shifted his senbon. "Akatsuki may have a secret forbidden technique up their sleeves which allows them some access to the Phoenix's power. Then again, this is only a possibility."

_Something does not add up._ Tsunade knew that the Akatsuki may have another treacherous plan to obtain the legendary animal, she just could not figure out what yet. The Akatsuki did not take unnecessary risks. They must not underestimate the enemy. "Argh you may go now. I need to sleep it off before I can think rationally."

"And you say you're not drunk." Shisui sighed. The two shinobis disappeared in a puff of smoke just as their hokage sama shouted a string of unladylike words at them.

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"Okaa san…"

"It's okay, sweetie." She wiped the tears off her daughter's cheeks. She rarely saw Chiaki cry ever since she attended the ninja academy. One of the things she learnt from being a shinobi. The only times she cried ever since were when she broke up with her first boyfriend, and when she had to leave her team. She had always believed that her daughter was cut out to be a ninja, what with the Ogiwara blood flowing in her veins. However, she knew that there were only a finite number of times you could get hurt before you breakdown. "You are safe, and that is what's important."

"No…no…what is important is that…that Neji is gravely hurt and its…its all my fault." Chiaki managed to speak in between hiccups. "My fault."

Yuuko pushed her daughter up and cupped her cheek. "Why are you always carrying the burden when it is not yours to carry?"

"Because it is. I should be fighting alongside him. I am a capable ninja, so there was no reason to run when I can stay and fight. We are a team, and that's what teammates should do for one another. We should be protecting each other! I ran. I left him behind and ran for my life. Now he's paying the price…"

"Is that what you see? What I see is a brave kunoichi who did what was best for the village despite how her heart calls to protect her teammate. You did the right thing, Chi. Did you ever stop to think what would happen if you stayed and fight? Both of you might have fallen into the enemy's hands. They would have killed your teammate."

"Don't…" "Listen!" Yuuko interrupted her daughter. She knew her words may be harsh, but Chiaki had to think about this situation rationally. "The phoenix would no longer be under the protection of the village. Who knows what would happen then. Do you know why Neji is still alive? It's because of you. The enemy were chasing you, so when you ran to get help, they chased _you _instead of ensuring the death of your teammate. You _saved _him. You were the reason he was spared. So stop blaming yourself and see the whole picture."

"I…I saved him?" Chiaki's voice held an incredulous tint to it. Yuuko nodded, choosing to let all the words sink in. "I was conscious of that during the battle. I was so confident that what I did was the right thing when the enemy taunted me with it. But people -"

"Since when does my daughter care what others thought about her, eh?" She watched Chiaki's lips tilt up. "Okaa san!"

"What? I'm speaking the truth! My daughter is not only the best kunoichi in the hidden village of leaf, but she is also the most honest woman I've ever met!" Yuuko's smile mirrored Chiaki's. "I love you, okaa san. You always say things that make me happy." Her daughter laughed and embraced her tightly, her actions making it impossible for her to see her mother's bitter smile. _If only you knew. _

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One day after Chiaki woke up at the hospital, the nurse gave her the permission to leave, provided that she didn't do strenuous activities that may open up her wounds. She agreed instantly, though the she knew that there was no way she could keep her words since she need all the practice she could get to prepare for the anbu preliminary rounds. She thought about asking Yugao for some tips on how the anbu exams would be like, but she figured the older woman would not let out any hints exclusively for her. Its anbu, not some graded exam in the ninja academy anyway.

"Chi." She turned only to see the younger Uchiha brother leaning against the lamppost she just passed a few seconds ago. "Are you busy?"

"N…No. Not really, I'm just walking around to get a taste of fresh air. What do you need again?"

"Are you fully healed?" Chiaki rolled her eyes. _Stupid Uchihas, why can't they just answer questions the conventional way? _"Almost, the nurse said I need to -"

"Good. I need your help." _Idiotic, egoistical, emotionally constipated Uchihas! _"You know, sometimes I wonder if you genuinely care about my wellbeing." Chiaki said exasperatedly. "You need my help, so you should get on my good side, Uchiha. Hmm…you should start by calling me Chiaki sempai." He gave her one of the famous Uchiha glares. "Well, I think I should go then. Ja ne, Sasuke!" She counted four steps before she heard Sasuke grumble "sempai". _Chiaki versus Uchiha, 1-0! _She happily followed Sasuke to the team 7 training grounds.

"So, what do you need, oh almightly Uchiha prince?" She mocked, earning her another deadpanned stare from Sasuke. "Kakashi sensei seemed to think that you are able to help me perfect my Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu. Can you?"

"The great fireball technique?"

"You are the only one eligible to help me. You are familiar with manipulating elements, are you not?"

Chiaki pondered on that. Helping Sasuke meant less time to train herself, unless…"I have a proposal for you, Uchiha san."

"Hn."

"I help you with your jutsu, you help me with my training. What do you think?"

"You need _my _help to train?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the proposal. "I have to go for the anbu preliminary rounds next week, and I need to be in my best shape. And we all know who the anbu captain is, so it would be inevitable that I fight your brother at some point, if I made it through."

Sasuke looked bemused. "You really applied for anbu and got in?"

"Not yet, only when I pass the test. I'm only shortlisted now."

"Hn. You need to practice fighting with a sharingan user."

"Yeah, Sasuke. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. So, let's not waste anymore time. Show me your jutsu." Chiaki watched him as he displayed the famous Uchiha move. She always wondered why this jutsu was so well known among the ninja world when any fire user from the Ogiwara clan can easily outdo them. _Perhaps the Uchihas are fraud. _She snorted mentally at that idea, knowing fully well Uchiha Itachi would prove her theory wrong. "You are using way too much chakra for this jutsu. Try doing it again, but with less chakra." He repeated, but the fire ball was much smaller than the former one. Chiaki realised his problem instantly. "The fire you create should not be solely defined by the amount of chakra you use. You need to become your element. Most elemental users do not know how to become one with their element, and that's the difference between a normal elemental user and a Ogiwara. Don't do the jutsu mechanically. Picture yourself in blazing hot fire. Let it consume you. Think about how the heat will empower you. Touch it, play with it, and love it. Familiarise yourself with the heat, then call upon it while you do the jutsu. It will come naturally to your call without exerting too much chakra. I think this is the best I can do to explain to you."

She waited as Sasuke meditated. "I don't understand how picturing fire in my head can help me with anything." He opened his eyes and stared at her after ten minutes.

She sighed and raised her index finger into the air. Her fingertips glowed dimly with chakra and she slowly waved it around. At once, a gust of wind could be felt moving with her finger. Sasuke watched in awe at her command of her element. Chiaki finally narrowed her eyes in determination and swiftly aimed her chakra laced finger at a tree. The blow made a deep cut into the tree, similar to the mark of a shuriken. "That was…You could do that with that amount of chakra and only a finger?" Chiaki was bursting in pride at making the Uchiha gape at her skills. Its not everyday you see an Uchiha stumble over words.

"I took quite a while to do that without hand signs. It's an efficient way to kill an easy target, but I am still unable to master that for more complicated jutsus. Anyway, while you were watching me just now, did you see how I interacted with my element?"

Sasuke bit his lips, contemplating on her question. "It flows with you. I don't know how to explain it, but from how it looks, the wind obeys you."

"Exactly. That is the way we should interact with all elements." Chiaki explained. "But it is a bloodline limit – to be so intimate with your element. So you may never be able to be completely at ease like me, but what I am helping you with is to control the chakra channelled to this jutsu."

"You mean meditation?"

"You do not have perfect chakra control like Sakura san, so this might be the way for you to perfect this technique."

Sasuke mumbled something along the lines of should-have-known-you-are-going-to-say-that. She chuckled inwardly, knowing the Uchiha was not a patient person. "I don't have all day, so are you going to do as I say, or not?"

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When Chiaki opened her eyes again, it was already dark. _I can't believe I fell asleep on the grass! _She looked around for Sasuke, but he was no where to be seen. "Oi you, we need to go back to my house for dinner." Sasuke was sitting atop a tree branch.

"You house?"

"While you were dozing off just now, otou san sent sako to inform me that. Apparently there's some decision made between our parents and we need to be present."

"Probably another treaty that will benefit both our clans." Chiaki mumbled. "Let's go."

It took them quite a while to reach their destination, as both were not looking forward to be part of the clan politics. "Chi chan, sasuke, what took you so long?"

"She's still recovering, so we decided to walk instead." Sasuke replied nonchalantly. The two made their way to the dining room, where everyone was already seated, including Itachi. Chiaki swiftly took an empty seat beside her parents, which was also directly opposite the anbu captain. Murmurs of Itadakimasu could be heard across the table. "How's your shoulder, Chi chan? Your mum told me that it's quite serious."

"Oh Sakura san told me not to worry too much, its healing fast. I should be able to train again soon. Thanks for asking."

"Train? What if you accidentally open up your wound? You are staying in the Ogiwara compound for the next few days, young lady." Tadashi Ogiwara scolded.

"But that's my duty, otou san! I've already been resting for two days!"

"Being a ninja should not be your priority. You are the clan heir; therefore you have other duties to adhere to as well."

Chiaki was about to argue back but her father gave her a stern glare, forcing her to swallow back her words. The clang of chopsticks against the cold ceramic bowl brought her out of her thoughts. "She needs to train even more now."

"Sasuke!" Mikoto reprimanded. Chiaki thanked her friend silently for standing up for her, but she knew this was not the time for such petty arguments. Before she could even intervene, her father interrupted, "Do you have anything problems with how I handle _my_ family matters, Sasuke?" She gave Sasuke a fervent shake of her head, to which he ignored. "Tch, you wish. As you've said, Ogiwara san, its _your _family after all."

Chiaki glanced around to see everyone's reaction. Her mother was staring at Sasuke disapprovingly, while Mikoto and Fugaku looked like they were dying of embarrassment with each word Sasuke uttered. Itachi, on the other hand, looked as calm as ever, chewing on the dumplings as if a drama is not playing in front of him. _Anbu captain my ass. _"I think you've said enough, Sasuke." Fugaku asserted calmly. "We are all worried about Chiaki san's injuries, and it's perfectly normal for her to rest a few days before continuing her ninja duties. Now, apologise to Ogiwara san for your lack of manners."

Chiaki could feel her cheeks turning red from the embarrassment of all this happening in the presence of another family, in front of Uchiha Itachi. "I feel really sorry that you don't even care about Chiaki going for her anbu preliminary exams next week." _Oh god I forgot to tell them about signing up for anbu! Sasuke you really don't know when to shut your mouth!_ Her eyelids fluttered to cover up her eyes, knowing her father would be angry at her for making such important decisions without any discussion. There was a pregnant pause in the room; she could hear the sharp inhalation of breath. "What? What did you say?"

"Chiaki, is it true?" This time, a more feminine voice resonated in the air. "Okaa san, I…:"

"It doesn't matter." She could hear the finality in her father's voice. "Chiaki is not going to be in anbu anyway. Itachi san, I implore you remove her from your anbu examinations."

"Otou san!" She whipped her head towards her father, feeling humiliation slapping against her. "Please don't –"

"I was under the assumption that you knew about her application, Ogiwara san." Itachi interrupted.

"As you can see, this is the first time we've heard this preposterous announcement, but I assure you, she must not be considered for anbu."

She looked at Itachi san, but he did not reveal anything in his gaze. "Why?" She eyed her father squarely. She needed to truth; she deserved this much. "Why can't I join anbu?" The adults exchanged knowing glances. Sasuke frowned. Itachi actually stopped eating. It was then that Chiaki realised she unconsciously addressed the elephant in the room.

"We should tell them now, Ogiwara san. There is no use hiding any further." Fugaku san said.

The two mothers sighed, while her father gave her and Itachi a serious stare. "This is the reason why we are all gathered here today. This is also the reason you, Chiaki, are not allowed to join anbu. As you can see, the Uchiha and Ogiwara clans have been discussing our alliance for a few years already. We have met with many disagreements, but we managed to look past our disagreements and pledged our alliance. Now, what better way to seal this agreement than a marriage between both clans?"

Chiaki stared at his father with eyes as big as saucers, finding it hard to believe that arranged marriages are still legit at this age. "You are not serious." She turned to her mother. She knew how her mother always felt about her living her own way. Surely, her mother would not allow this to happen. Her mother only shook her head helplessly, showing that she was powerless to this arrangement. Chiaki felt her heart stop for a second as her mind registered losing the last strand of hope. She glanced at the two Uchiha brothers, who looked no different than her except for the fact that Itachi masked his shock better than her and Sasuke. She gulped as the gears in her head turned to look for an explanation for all this madness. "You…you are forcing me to…to marry?"

Tadashi Ogiwara gave an affirmative nod. She glanced at her mother again, who mirrored her husband's actions. Chiaki dug her nails into her skin, making sure she was alive and this was not a dream. This is the worst nightmare that could ever happen to a kunoichi – being tied down. "Who?" She asked shakily, her voice betraying her emotions. "Sas...uke?" She exchanged a look of horror with the younger Uchiha. This time, it was Mikoto san who replied. "No. We thought you would be more compatible with Itachi kun instead."

_Oh my fucking god you can't be serious this is a fucking joke Tsunade sama won't allow such outrageous plans to be carried out in Konoha Oh god they want to marry me to Uchiha Itachi the emotionless asexual ass who is going to be assess me for the anbu exams next w- shit no I'm not allowed to enter anbu anymore what- I don't understand any of this- Oh god why is this happening to me I didn't do anything bad why is it me why why why WHY! _

"Chi…Chiaki. Breathe." She felt cold hands cupping her cheek. Chiaki pulled away from her mother, feeling betrayed. "So what does this supposed marriage have anything to do with me joining anbu?"

"Anbu is dangerous. After you are married, you will have responsibilities to fulfill as a wife. We will discuss the part about you continuing your career as a ninja after your marriage, but anbu is definitely out of the question." Chiaki didn't even bother to identify who answered her question.

"When is the marriage?" This was the first time that deep velvety voice spoke during the entire dinner. She felt something prickle in her eyes. How could Itachi be so calm towards such an earth shattering plan that could change his life forever? Did he even want to marry her?

"We were hoping that it could be done within half a year."

"Let me get this straight. You want me to give up my career and marry Uchiha taicho in less than half a year." Chiaki looked at the unfinished dinner and gave a humourless laugh. "What should I say now? Thank you so much for taking care of my future?" She said spitefully.

"I understand that you are a little shocked by this sudden engagement, but as the clan heir, you should have expected this. Your okaa san and I have already given you lots of freedom compared to other clans, you should look at this as an opportunity to help both of our clans."

"Chi, would you be happier if you were engaged to Sasuke instead?"

_I don't know. Maybe. Yes. Yes, at least I know that Uchiha bastard. Uchiha taicho is completely out of my league. _"I don't even –" Chiaki could feel her hand shaking and all she could focus on is the ceramic bowl containing her unfinished rice. Her chakra flared and a sudden flow of wind blew across the room. "Chiaki..." She stood abruptly, giving a hardened glare to everyone in the room. "Don't. Please." She tried to reign in her chakra. "I…I need some time."

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Sasuke was the first to voice out after Chiaki disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Great. I need some air too." With that, Itachi was left with the adults. He could not say that he was completely taken by surprise at this engagement. He knew that there was always this possibility from the time he was old enough to read the Uchiha scrolls. Arranged marriage was inevitable in the past, even his parents' marriage was not made out of love. He knew that Konoha is becoming more egalitarian now that Tsunade became the hokage, but even she had little say in clan matters.

He might look unaffected by this whole ordeal, but his mind was going haywire as he thought about marrying Ogiwara Chiaki of all people. This is the girl who is a potential threat to the village, someone who thought he was asexual. He felt a little sorry for Chiaki, considering she had to sacrifice her anbu dreams to enter this marriage. She was powerful, at least strong enough for him to consider her for anbu. But from what he noticed by the little interaction they had, she was more temperamental and too emotional to be a ninja. He was not unhappy when he heard that he was engaged to _her,_ he could be engaged to worse. However, he was not ecstatic either, considering that he did not plan to be attached at such a young age. He did not want any distractions to his shinobi life. He wondered if Chiaki would be like those Uchiha ladies, trained to obey and follow their husbands' every word. Somehow he had a hard time picturing her to be the passive little housewife. The two of them are like two complete strangers forced to meet by some unknown force of the universe. How would Konoha react, he wondered, when they know that he would be married to the phoenix keeper.

"What do you think of this, Itachi?"

He took a sip of his ice cold tea and stood up. "I think it would benefit both our clans should this marriage be a success. Now if you excuse me, I have paperwork to do. Have a good day, Ogiwara san." He swiftly bowed to his guests before heading to his room.

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"At least Itachi responded well." Yuuki sighed.

"Chiaki will come around, Yuuki san." Mikoto placed a hand on the other woman. "She just need time to think about it. We did announce the news quite abruptly, I suppose."

Yuuki looked at her husband, trying to gauge his emotions, but he revealed nothing. She felt guilty, to be the one who encouraged Chiaki to take her own path and then took it away from her. She felt Chiaki's touch as she pulled away from her grasp. She saw the look on her daughter's eyes as they glared at her. It reflected her disbelief that the only person she trusted most in this world betrayed her. Yuuki knew this feeling all too well. "She'll understand." She whispered, more to herself than anyone else in the room.

**Please review. It will make me really happy. thanks.**


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